| In this issue:
NEW ONTARIO FISHING CHAT
CLICK HERE!
| Camp Raymond - Camp Raymond is situated on the picturesque northwest bay of Lake
Nipissing. A fully equipped housekeeping camp geared to both families and fishermen. We
offer many amenities to make your vacation a memorable one |
| Auld
Reekie Lodge - Whether you pamper yourself with our
full meal plan and the ultimate in comfort in one of our 6 luxury suites, or stay in a
fully equipped 4 star cottage where you can cook your own meals, at Auld Reekie Lodge we
feel we've got everything you're looking for and more. Auld Reekie Lodge, as featured on
the Canadian Sportsfishing Show, is a true escape in the beauty of Northern Ontario's
wilderness. |
| Long
Point Airways - Charter flying is our business for
fishermen, hunters, and servicing mining and bush operations in the James Bay Frontier.
There are literally hundreds of lakes, a great many of them inaccessible except by
difficult portage, or by air. Plan a vacation to enjoy the quiet, relaxing atmosphere of
the pine scented forest while you fish for Lake Trout, Speckled Trout, Pickerel(Walleye),
Bass and the great Northern Pike and relax in the evening around the camp fire. |
| Trails
End Lodge - A full service facility, situated on
Pipestone/Clearwater chain of lakes, offers incredible fishing experiences with Muskie,
Lake Trout, Walleye, Bass and Northern on 76 miles of pristine waters. Enjoy a shorelunch
prepared by experienced guides and explore the white pine forest. Join the fall hunters
for white tailed deer and grouse. The new Conference Centre allows for groups of up to 80
people for reunion or corporate meetings. |
Ontario Bass Fishing
Click Here |
|
"Vertical Jigging for Suspended Smallies"
By Justin Hoffman
Retrieving baits and lures in a horizontal fashion is one of the most
commonly utilized and effective techniques in fishing today. There are times, however,
when a vertical approach may be your best bet when dealing with certain situations.
Smallmouth that suspend in open water is one key period where vertical jigging a lure will
outshine and out produce any other methods on the market. Next time you come across some
suspended smallies, change things up and trick them into biting your lure "vertical
style."
Finding the Fish
Smallmouth bass are renowned for grouping up off prime structure areas
throughout a lake system. Directly after the spawn, this area will most likely be the
first drop-off or hump found adjacent to their spawning grounds. The summer months will
usually find the bass hovering over deep offshore humps and islands. Moreover, during the
fall months, smallies will congregate close by to deep over-wintering areas. Let's face
it, a large part of the smallmouth's life is spent suspended in prime areas, making it
often difficult to find and locate, and also harder to catch, without the proper tools and
techniques.
In order to locate a school of suspended smallmouth, the use of
electronics become paramount in order to "view" what is happening below the
surface of the water. Start by slowly motoring over prime areas of the lake that you think
the smallmouth may be relating too. Gradually move out from structure until you begin to
mark fish on your sonar or fish finder. Once a school has been located, it is often best
to throw out a marker buoy to pinpoint the location should you lose your bearings, and to
anchor as vertical jigging requires direct surface to bottom contact with the school.
Depths can vary greatly when dealing with suspended smallmouth. I have caught fish in
eight feet of water all the way up to forty feet. Experimenting and searching the water
thoroughly will help hone your skills in locating these schools more efficiently.
Tackle Talk
The equipment that is needed for vertical jigging is fairly basic. I
prefer to use a six-and-a-half foot to seven-foot medium action spinning rod coupled with
six to eight-pound test monofilament. Make sure the rod has some backbone to it, as
smallies are notoriously hard fighters. Some of the new Firelines and Braided Lines on the
market are also ideal for this application - make sure that you do not pull or horse the
hook out of the fish's mouth due to the low-stretch line capabilities.
There are a variety of different lures and baits that can be used for
vertical jigging, yet the predominant two are spoons and jigs. Spoons have extraordinary
flash and vibration, plus the fluttering motion they exhibit on the fall is enticing to
the smallmouth bass. A few of my favourites are the Williams Wabbler, the Cicada and the
Deadly Dick. Experiment with different styles and thicknesses of metal as each will have
its own motion and flutter in the water that will work in different conditions.
Jigs are another useful bait for using vertical, although I have found
that bucktails rein supreme in this category. The hair of these jigs moves and undulates
on the lift and fall - something that seems intoxicating and attractive to even the most
neutral fish. Choose a variety of colours and sizes and see which works best on your home
lake. |
